Mike narrowed his gaze. Talking about the family he’d abandoned hadn’t driven Rex to need another drink, but the old case had.
Rex refocused his gaze on Mike. “You got so many questions, why didn’t you just ask the man you call Dad?”
Mike straightened his shoulders. “You mean the one who did your job for you? Who stepped up when you couldn’t be bothered? There’s no way I’m going to upset him now, not with what he’s going through.”
Rex jerked as if Mike had gutted him. “What’s wrong with Simon?” he asked, suddenly sounding as if he cared.
Cara shifted in her seat, and Mike answered before she could offer up anything. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with.”
He hadn’t meant to slip and give Rex any information about his family. “Tell me what you remember, and I’ll get out of here and you’ll never have to see me again. I’m sure that’s what you want anyway.”
Rex scowled, his expression turning dark. “You have no idea what I want. Not now and not back then.” He paused, and the silence between them grew heavy. “Sometimes we do things because we have to. Want has nothing to do with it.”
Mike rolled his eyes. He’d flown cross-country only to have him speak in riddles. If he’d wanted to waste his time, he could have stayed at the casino and dropped money at the tables.
But he’d try one more time. “Money?” he reminded Rex. “Marked bills found in the trunk of a car you stopped for speeding? Does any of this sound familiar?”
Rex slammed a large hand against the table, causing it to shake under the force. “Leave it alone, son.”
“And I told you not to call me that.” Just being in Rex Bransom’s presence made Mike feel like a small, unwanted boy. There were too many times he hadn’t appreciated what Simon had done, focusing instead on what this man hadn’t. At the moment, Mike resented the hell out of having had to track him down.
He’d had enough and rose from his seat. “This was a waste of time. Come on,” he said to Cara.
She dutifully rose from her chair, and Mike knew she was doing what he asked in order to make this as easy as possible on him. He appreciated it more than he could express.
To Mike’s surprise, Rex stood as well. “You might not believe this, but it was good to meet you.”
“The feeling isn’t mutual,” Mike muttered.
A flash of pain flickered in eyes similar to Mike’s own before Rex masked it. “Glad you brought your lady. She’s a fine-looking woman. Don’t make the same mistakes I did.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll never turn my back on the people who mean the most to me.”
He grasped Cara’s hand and walked away without looking back.
Cara felt Mike’s tension and anger vibrating through him and didn’t know how to ease it. She wasn’t even sure he’d want her to. They returned to the hotel in silence, and she waited until they were alone in the suite.
He stalked over to the bar and poured himself a drink, downing it in one gulp.
“Mike?”
He shook his head. “Not now.”
He was shutting her out. She couldn’t say it didn’t hurt, but she understood. She’d wanted to make the overture and she had, but whether he wanted to talk was up to him. And he clearly did not.
She opened a drawer, pulled out the nightgown she’d brought with her, and walked into the bathroom. After being in the smoky bar, she needed to feel clean before getting into bed.
She stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the luxurious shower. It took her more than a few tries to understand which knobs turned on the overhead spray, but once she managed, the water cascaded down her back, warming her up—at least from the outside. Inside she was cold from Mike’s rejection. No matter how much she got it, she’d made this trip to help him. Once he’d accepted her offer, she hadn’t expected him to turn her away.
As she lathered up with the soap provided by the hotel, which smelled fruity and delicious, she thought about the short meeting with Rex Bransom. The man was more self-contained than Mike. Other than his initial startled surprise at seeing Mike, he hadn’t slipped, hadn’t given anything away. And when he didn’t want to answer, he used Mike’s weak spot—the word son—poking at the open wound. No question, the man was a bastard. Her heart broke for Mike, who she was sure was as hurt as he was confused.
She tilted her head up toward the hot water, rinsing the shampoo out of her hair, the spray washing over her like rain. It felt so good, she wondered if she could install this kind of shower in her condo. She laughed at the silly thought.
She heard the creak, and then Mike’s hands gripped her forearms as he pressed his body against hers, his erection solid at her back.
“Forgive me?” he asked, nuzzling his face into her neck.
She sighed, her body softening along with her heart. “There’s nothing to forgive. You needed space.”
“And you always give me what I need. Even if I don’t know what that is myself.” His gruff voice rumbled in her ear.
He hadn’t wanted to talk, but he was obviously happy to forget his troubles inside her body. And she didn’t mind. Sex was what they did best together, was what she could count on from him.
He slid his finger through her slick heat, moisture easing the way for an easy glide. Desire rippled through her and she arched into his hand.
“You’re so wet for me, baby.”
She moaned only to have him stiffen behind her. “Fuck. I can’t believe I call you that. I’ve been calling you that. Hell, I tried to convince you it was okay. Then he said it and it sounded so damned demeaning.” His arms were still wrapped tight around her.
Cara sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. “From Rex to her? It was demeaning. God, Mike, she was all of twenty-one—and that’s if she was even legal! He didn’t care about her. He liked the attention, the idea of a young woman who idolized him and hung on his every word. We both know that’s not how I see you.”
That got a laugh. “No, you don’t automatically do anything I say.”
She grinned. “Independent. That’s me,” she said, before her thoughts sobered.
Mike didn’t know another woman who could make him laugh—during sex or about this whole screwed-up situation.
“Besides, didn’t we already undergo desensitization therapy?” she asked, wriggling her backside against his erection.
She turned to press a kiss against his solid chest. Her soft lips teased his skin, arousing him even more as she continued to explore. She ran her tongue over the flat peaks of his nipples until he let out a harsh groan, and then she nipped harder and he thought he’d come right then.
“Uh-uh.” Her pleasure mattered, not his. He dropped to his knees. He breathed out, teasing her with a rush of air. Her thighs trembled. He placed his lips on her sex, drawing the tight bud into his mouth and suckling hard.
She cried out and thrust her hips forward. Grasping her waist to steady her, he kept up the pressure, knowing exactly what she liked and needed most. He brought her up quickly but didn’t let her climax; instead he released her as soon as she was near, causing her to moan in frustration, to buck her hips and beg for more.
Mike merely chuckled and ran his tongue along her outer lips, teasing her some until she wrapped her fingers in his hair and pulled. “Please,” she begged.
He soothed her with a lick along her slit. Her knees buckled and he lifted her in his arms and carried her to the bed, where he laid her down on the thick bedding and eased his body down on top of her.
“Did you really think I’d let you come without me inside you?” He brushed his lips over hers.
She met his gaze, her eyes dilated with pleasure, hazy with desire. “I wasn’t thinking at all.”
He laughed and kissed her hard, thrusting his tongue inside her mouth while savoring the feel of her soft, satiny skin beneath him.
But she was restless and shifted beneath him. “Move, dammit.” She punctuated her order with a squeeze of his butt c
heeks.
“Good to know you want me…baby.” He forced the word out of his mouth. No way would he allow his father to control any part of his life, especially this.
Her answering kiss indicated she knew how hard it had been for him and melted more of his heart. Oh hell, she already owned it, he thought, raising his hips and sliding his erection along her damp heat. She shuddered beneath him, as if mini climaxes were racking her body already, and he took advantage, thrusting into her hard and deep.
“Michael,” she said, on a groan, the way he’d come to expect.
“I love it when you say my name like that, when I’m deep inside you.”
A sultry smile lifted her lips.
He pulled out slowly, feeling her clutch around him, then drove back in once more. She raised her knees, pulling him farther into her heat, and he picked up the rhythm, in and out, his sole focus on the intensity of the feelings she inspired. Harder, faster, she met him thrust for thrust, her sexy moans increasing every time their bodies joined.
He loved the sound of sex, the grinding of bodies, but this was so much more. He’d never walk away unscathed. Bracing his hands beside her, he lowered his head, taking her lips in a hard, much-needed kiss. Her sex clenched him, milking him tighter. A tingling in his gut signaled the onset of climax. He stiffened and shuddered, imploding inside and out. He came, the release physical as much as it was emotional, the sensations pulling him under as he came harder than ever before.
From a distance, he heard her cries, gasps, the “Oh Gods,” that signaled she’d joined him for the ride. Spent, he sprawled on top of her, certain he’d never breathe well again.
A little while later, he lay with Cara curled in his arms. The longer they rested in silence, the more time he had to dwell on his meeting with Rex.
Leave it alone, son. Those words told Mike that Rex knew more than he’d admitted, but he’d been smart enough to hit Mike where it hurt to get himself off the hook. And Mike had allowed it. Still, even if he’d pushed, Mike was under no illusions he’d have been able to break Rex.
His answers didn’t lie in Vegas any more than they did in Serendipity. They were bottled up, unlikely to be revealed. He ought to call the mayor, tell her they’d hit a dead end and call it a day. But Mike didn’t like unfinished business. He hated it even more when it pertained to his life.
In the midst of the chaos with Rex, a surprising need for home surfaced. Mike wanted to talk to Sam and Erin, to feel a part of the family he’d tried so hard to distance himself from. That need surprised him.
Cara stirred, shifting and rolling to face him. “You okay?” she asked.
“I’m with you, so never better.” He leaned over and kissed her.
She smiled and curled back into his side. “Except I wasn’t talking about us. I can practically hear you thinking.”
He chuckled, not surprised how well she read him. “I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“Want to talk about it?” she asked, extreme caution in her voice.
No doubt because he’d been such an ass the last time she’d approached him. “I would, if there were something to discuss. Rex is a no-good son of a bitch who’d rather hurt his own son than reveal information. That about sums it up, and there’s nothing I can do to change it.”
Cara exhaled hard. “All true. But you shouldn’t dismiss how he made you feel.”
“I feel like I don’t want to have anything to do with the man, but since his blood is running through my veins, I really can’t control that either.” He wished he could take back the sarcastic bite in his voice, but it was too late.
“Mike—”
“Look, I know you’re here for me and…I appreciate it.” He cut her off before she could poke at the wound his father opened in him. No matter how well meaning, he wasn’t up to it. “I just need to work through it myself.”
“Mmm,” she said, and the sound vibrated through him. “Been there and thought that many times myself. I get it.”
For the first time, he sensed that she really did. Funny thing was, he hated the thought of her going through any of her personal garbage alone. Still, that was exactly what he needed right now.
“I can’t wait to get home,” he muttered.
“Having that bad a time?” she asked lightly.
“Not when I’m with you.” He squeezed her tighter. “I just need to get away from here.”
“I get that too.” With her head snuggled in the crook of his arm, he couldn’t see her face or read her expression. “Besides, you already showed me the best of Vegas, so I really can’t complain that you’re ready to leave.”
He twirled his finger in her hair, guilt riding him that when he should still be enjoying the next twenty-four hours, he wanted to get out of the state his father lived in as soon as possible.
“Come,” he said, nudging her shoulder.
“Where?”
There was one more sight they’d yet to enjoy together. “Get dressed. I want to go outside and see the light show.” Personally, he could live without it, but he remembered her delighted expression when she talked about seeing the lights.
“Are you sure? We could call the airlines now and get on the next flight home,” she offered.
“Not until after you’ve seen the light show.” He rolled her onto her back and pinned her to the mattress. “And definitely not until after I’ve seen your face when you do.”
Twelve
Mike came home from Vegas, caught up on sleep, and insisted Cara do the same. He gave her a few days off and took some for himself. As soon as he felt more human and got a handle on his emotions, he called and met his brother and sister for lunch at The Family Restaurant.
He arrived last, as usual. His siblings were waiting, their meals and his ordered and on the table. They looked at him with concern.
“You texted us to say you were going to Vegas to meet Rex Bransom. Then we heard nothing for three days,” Erin said, chiding him in an exact replica of their mother’s voice.
Mike settled in a chair across from her. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“I heard you dragged Cara along with you.” Sam made it sound like an accusation.
“She offered to go,” Mike said tightly.
“Sam, leave him alone,” Erin urged.
“No, let’s finish this conversation once and for all.” He and Sam hadn’t gotten past Mike’s seeing his brother’s best friend, and Mike was tired of pretending everything was fine between them when it wasn’t. “Do you want Cara for yourself? Is that it?” Mike asked his brother.
Sam clenched his jaw. “No. I just want to know that when you pick up and leave—and you will because you always do—you won’t leave her heart stomped beneath your feet.”
Mike groaned. “All I can tell you is that I’ve been honest with her from day one.” He opened and closed his hands, fisting them beneath the table. “I don’t want her hurt any more than you do.”
Sam expelled a harsh breath. “I believe you. I just…her father’s a bastard. Her mother takes it. Cara’s never stayed in a relationship long. She won’t put herself out there for fear of being hurt, but she’s different with you.” He shook his head. “And I can see disaster coming from a mile away. But I love you both, so…” He raised his hands in front of him. “I’ll stay out of it.”
Mike knew what it took for Sam to step back. There was no better man, no one more loyal than his brother. “Thanks, man.”
“Okay, now that you two have settled things, what happened in Vegas?” Erin asked.
Mike drew a deep breath. “I met him.”
“And?” Erin asked in a whisper.
Mike closed his eyes, and the memory of Rex Bransom flashed before him. “We look alike,” Mike admitted. “We…spoke alike. He’s more outgoing. He enjoys being the center of attention. I don’t. But I’m afraid that in here”—he tapped his chest, over his heart—“we’re more alike than I want to believe.”
He felt his brother’s hand slap
him on the shoulder. “That’s bullshit,” Sam said, defending Mike so strongly that he almost believed it himself.
Almost.
“He left. So did I. He abandoned a woman—”
“Don’t go there,” Sam warned him. “Tiffany was nothing like Mom.”
That, at least, was true.
“Mike, you’re one of the best men I know.” Erin, her eyes wide and damp, met his gaze. “And that’s because you’re like Simon, not Rex.”
He didn’t reply.
His sister covered his hand with hers. “Hey. You have to believe me.”
Mike didn’t know how to feel or what to believe. It was Rex’s blood running through his veins. Rex, who couldn’t stay in one place, who never gave a piece of himself to anyone he came into contact with. Mike’s search for Rex had revealed that the man jumped from state to state, never forming ties or relationships. Mike was much the same.
“Forget him,” Sam said. “Call the case cold for good and put it behind you.”
Mike didn’t know if he could. “He called me son. And afterward, I never felt more dirty in my life.”
His siblings looked at him with pity, which had him squirming in his seat.
“What about Mom and Dad? You going to tell them what happened?” Sam asked.
“I’ve spoken to Mom. And as soon as Dad finishes his last treatment, we agreed to sit him down and explain everything, including that Rex contacted her through Facebook.” He’d already told his brother and sister the background before he went to Vegas.
“Oh, to be a fly on the wall for that conversation,” Erin said, with a shake of her head. “Good thing their bond is tight enough to withstand anything.”
“Amen,” Mike said.
“So. Does anyone have any good news to talk about?” Erin grinned.
“Same old,” Sam muttered.
They finished eating in relative peace, for which Mike was grateful. His cell rang as he was finishing, and he took the call from work.
He listened without much interest. “Just leave it on my desk,” he said to the desk sergeant on call. “I’ll get to it when I come in tomorrow.” He disconnected the line.
Perfect Fit Page 17
